tc.thebearandthedragon-第172部分

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eapons。　They　are　on　the　whole　not　very　enterprising；　however。　As　I　said；　deliberate。　They　move　by　leapfrogging　half　a　kilometer　at　a　bound；　depending　on　terrain。　We're　monitoring　their　radios。　They're　not　encrypted；　though　their　spoken　language　is　deceptive　in　terminology。　We're　working　on　that。〃
　〃Speed　of　advance？〃
　〃Five　kilometers　in　an　hour　is　the　fastest　we've　seen；　usually　slower　than　that。　Their　main　body　is　still　getting　organized；　and　they　haven't　set　up　a　logistics　train　yet。　I'd　expect　them　to　attempt　no　more　than　thirty　kilometers　in　a　day　on　flat　open　ground；　based　on　what　I've　seen　so　far。〃
　〃Interesting。〃　Bondarenko　looked　back　at　his　maps。　They'd　start　going　north…northwest　because　that's　what　the　terrain　pelled　them　to　do。　At　this　speed；　they'd　be　at　the　gold　strike　in　six　or　seven　days。
　Theoretically；　he　could　move　265th　Motor　Rifle　to　a　blocking　position　。。。　here　。。。　in　two　days　and　make　a　stand；　but　by　then　they'd　have　at　least　three；　maybe　eight；　mechanized　divisions　to　attack　his　one　full…strength　unit；　and　he　couldn't　gamble　on　that　so　soon。　The　good　news　was　that　the　Chinese　were　bypassing　his　mand　post…contemptuously？　he　wondered；　or　just　because　there　was　nothing　there　to　threaten　them；　and　so　nothing　to　squander　force　on？　No；　they'd　run　as　fast　and　hard　as　they　could；　bringing　up　foot　infantry　to　wall　off　their　line　of　advance。　That　was　classic　tactics；　and　the　reason　was　because　it　worked。　Everyone　did　it　that　way；　from　Hannibal　to　Hitler。
　So；　their　lead　elements　moved　deliberately；　and　they　were　still　forming　up　their　army　over　the　Amur　bridgehead。
　〃What　units　have　we　identified？〃
　〃The　lead　enemy　formation　is　their　34th　Red　Banner　Shock　Army；　manded　by　Peng　Xi…Wang。　He　is　politically　reliable　and　well…regarded　in　Beijing；　an　experienced　soldier。　Expect　him　to　be　the　operational　army　group　mander。　The　34th　Army　is　mainly　across　the　river　now。　Three　more　Group　A　mechanized　armies　are　lined　up　to　cross　as　well；　the　31st；　29th；　and　43rd。　That's　a　total　of　sixteen　mechanized　divisions；　plus　a　lot　of　other　attachments。　We　think　the　65th　Group　B　Army　will　be　next　across。　Four　infantry　divisions　plus　a　tank　brigade。　Their　job　will　be　to　hold　the　western　flank；　I　would　imagine。〃　That　made　sense。　There　was　no　Russian　force　east　of　the　breakthrough　worthy　of　the　name。　A　classic　operation　would　also　wheel　east　to　Vladivostok　on　the　Pacific　Coast；　but　that　would　only　distract　forces　from　the　main　objection。　So；　the　turn　east　would　wait　for　at　least　a　week；　probably　two　or　three；　with　just　light　screening　forces　heading　that　way　for　the　moment。
　〃What　about　our　civilians？〃　Bondarenko　asked。
　〃They're　leaving　the　towns　in　the　Chinese　path　as　best　they　can；　mainly　cars　and　buses。　We　have　MP　units　trying　to　keep　them　organized。　So　far　nothing　has　happened　to　interfere　with　the　evacuation；〃　Tolkunov　said。　〃See；　from　this　it　looks　as　if　they're　actually　bypassing　Belogorsk；　just　passing　east　of　it　with　their　reconnaissance　elements。〃
　〃That's　the　smart　move；　isn't　it？〃　Bondarenko　observed。　〃Their　real　objective　is　far　to　the　north。　Why　slow　down　for　anything？　They　don't　want　land。　They　don't　want　people。　They　want　oil　and　gold。　Capturing　civilians　will　not　make　those　objectives　any　easier　to　acplish。　If　I　were　this　Peng　fellow；　I　would　be　worried　about　the　extent　of　my　drive　north。　Even　unopposed；　the　natural　obstacles　are　formidable；　and　defending　his　line　of　advance　will　be　a　beast　of　a　problem。〃　Gennady　paused。　Why　have　any　sympathy　for　this　barbarian？　His　mission　was　to　kill　him　and　all　his　men；　after　all。　But　how？　If　even　marching　that　far　north　was　a　problem…and　it　was…then　how　much　harder　would　it　be　to　strike　through　the　same　terrain　with　less…prepared　troops？　The　tactical　problems　on　both　sides　were　the　kind　men　in　his　profession　did　not　wele。
　〃General　Bondarenko？〃　a　foreign　voice　asked。
　〃Yes？〃　He　turned　to　see　a　man　dressed　in　an　American　flight　suit。
　〃Sir；　my　name　is　Major　Dan　Tucker。　I　just　flew　in　with　a　downlink　for　our　Dark　Star　UAVs。　Where　do　you　want　us　to　set　up；　sir？〃
　〃Colonel　Tolkunov？　Major；　this　is　my　chief　of　intelligence。〃
　The　American　saluted　sloppily；　as　air　force　people　tended　to　do。　〃Howdy；　Colonel。〃
　〃How　long　to　set　up？〃
　The　American　was　pleased　that　this　Tolkunov's　English　was　better　than　his　own　Russian。　〃Less　than　an　hour；　sir。〃
　〃This　way。〃　The　G…2　led　him　outside。　〃How　good　are　your　cameras？
　〃Colonel；　when　a　guy's　out　taking　a　piss；　you　can　see　how　big　his　dick　is。〃
　Tolkunov　figured　that　was　typical　American　braggadocio；　but　it　set　him　wondering。
　
　Captain　Feodor　Il'ych　Aleksandrov　manded　the　265th　Motor　Rifle's　divisional　reconnaissance　element…the　division　was　supposed　to　have　a　full　battalion　for　this　task；　but　he　was　all　they　had…and　for　that　task　he　had　eight　of　the　new　BRM　reconnaissance　tracks。　These　were　evolutionary　developments　of　the　standard　BMP　infantry　bat　vehicle；　upgraded　with　better　automotive　gear…more　reliable　engine　and　transmission　systems…plus　the　best　radios　his　country　made。　He　reported　directly　to　his　divisional　mander；　and　also；　it　seemed；　to　the　theater　intelligence　coordinator；　some　colonel　named　Tolkunov。　That　chap；　he'd　discovered；　was　very　concerned　with　his　personal　safety；　always　urging　him　to　stay　close…but　not　too　close…not　to　be　spotted；　and　to　avoid　bat　of　any　type。　His　job；　Tolkunov　had　told　him　at　least　once　every　two　hours　for　the　last　day　and　a　half；　was　to　stay　alive　and　to　keep　his　eye　on　the　advancing　Chinese。　He　wasn't　supposed　to　so　much　as　injure　one　little　hair　on　their　cute　little　Chink　heads；　just　stay　close　enough　that　if　they　mumbled　in　their　sleep；　to　copy　down　the　names　of　the　girlfriends　they　fucked　in　their　dreams。
　Aleksandrov　was　a　young　captain；　only　twenty…eight；　and　rakishly　handsome；　an　athlete　who　ran　for　personal　pleasure…and　running；　he　told　his　men；　was　the　best　form　of　exercise　for　a　soldier；　especially　a　reconnaissance　specialist。　He　had　a　driver；　gunner；　and　radio　operator　for　each　of　his　tracks；　plus　three　infantrymen　whom　he'd　personally　trained　to　be　invisible。
　The　drill　was　for　them　to　spend　about　half　their　time　out　of　their　vehicles；　usually　a　good　kilometer　or　so　ahead　of　their　Chinese　counterparts；　either　behind　trees　or　on　their　bellies；　reporting　back　with　monosyllabic　ments　on　their　portable　radios；　which　were　of　Japanese　manufacture。　The　men　moved　light；　carrying　only　their　rifles　and　two　spare　magazines；　because　they　weren't　supposed　to　be　seen　or　heard；　and　the　truth　was　that　Aleksandrov　would　have　preferred　to　send　them　out　unarmed；　lest　they　be　tempted　to　shoot　someone　out　of　patriotic　anger。　However；　no　soldier　would　ever　stand　for　being　sent　out　on　a　battlefield　weaponless；　and　so　he'd　had　to　settle　for　ordering　them　out　with　bolts　closed　on　empty　chambers。　The　captain　was　usually　out　with　his　men；　their　BRM　carriers　hidden　three　hundred　or　so　meters　away　in　the　trees。
　In　the　past　twenty…four　hours；　they'd　bee　intimately　familiar　with　their　Chinese　opponents。　These　were　also　trained　and　dedicated　reconnaissance　specialists；　and　they　were　pretty　good　at　their　jobs；　or　certainly　appeared　to　be。　They　were　also　moving　in　tracked　vehicles；　and　also　spent　a　lot　of　their　time　on　foot；　ahead　of　their　tracks；　hiding　behind　trees　and　peering　to　the　north；　looking　for　Russian　forces。　The　Russians　had　even　started　giving　them　names。
　〃It's　the　gardener；〃　Sergeant　Buikov　said。　That　one　liked　touching　trees　and　bushes；　as　though　studying　them　for　a　college　paper　or　something。　The　gardener　was　short　and　skinny；　and　looked　like　a　twelve…year…old　to　the　Russians。　He　seemed　petent　enough；　carrying　his　rifle　slung　on　his　back；　and　using　his　binoculars　often。　He　was　a　Chinese　lieutenant；　judging　by　his　shoulderboards；　probably　mander　of　this　platoon。　He　ordered　his　people　around　a　lot；　but　didn't　mind　taking　the　lead。　So；　he　was　probably　conscientious。　He　is；　therefore；　the　one　we　should　kill　first；　Aleksandrov　thought。　Their　BRM　reconnaissance　track　had　a　fine　30…mm　cannon　that　could　reach　out　and　turn　the　gardener　into　fertilizer　from　a　thousand　meters　or　so；　but　Captain　Aleksandrov　had　forbidden　it；　worse　luck；　Buikov　thought。　He　was　from　this　area；　a　woodsman　of　sorts　who'd　hunted　in　the　forests　many　times　with　his　father；　a　lumberjack。　〃We　really　ought　to　kill　him。〃
　〃Boris　Yevgeniyevich；　do　you　wish　to　alert　the　enemy　to　our　presence？〃　Aleksandrov　asked　his　sergeant。
　〃I　suppose　not；　my　captain；　but　the　hunting　season　is…〃
　〃…closed；　Sergeant。　The　season　is　closed；　and　no；　he　is　not　a　wolf　that　you　can　shoot　for　your　own　pleasure；　and…down；〃　Aleksandrov　ordered。　The　gardener　was　looking　their　way　with　his　field　glasses。　Their　faces　were　painted；　and　they　had　branches　tucked　into　their　field　clothing　to　break　up　their　outlines；　but　he　was　taking　no　chances。　〃They'll　be　moving　soon。　Back　to　the　track。〃
　The　hardest　part　of　their　drill　was　to　avoid　leaving　tracks　for　the　Chinese　to　spot。　Aleksandrov　had　〃discussed〃　this　with　his　drivers；　threatening　to　shoot　anyone　who　left　a　trail。　（He　knew　he　couldn't　do　that；　of　course；　but　his　men　weren't　quite　sure。）　Their　vehicles　even　had　upgraded　mufflers　to　reduce　their　sound　signature。　Every　so　often；　the　men　who　designed　and　built　Russian　military　equipment　got　things　right；　and　this　was　such　a　case。　Besides；　they　didn't　crank　their　engines　until　they　saw　the　Chinese　doing　the　same。　Aleksandrov　looked　up。　Okay；　the　gardener　was　waving　to　those　behind　him；　the　wave　that　meant　to　bring　their　vehicles　up。　They　were　doing　another　leapfrog　jump；　with　one　section　standing　fast　and　providing　over…watch　cover　for　the　next　move；　should　something　happen。　He　had　no　intention　of　making　anything　happen；　but　of　course　they　couldn't　know　that。　Aleksandrov　was　surprised　that　they　were　maintaining　their　careful　drill　into　the　second　day。　They　weren't　getting　sloppy　yet。　He'd　expected　that；　but　it　seemed　that　the　Chinese　were　better　drilled　even　than　his　expectations；　and　were　assiduously　following　their　written　doctrine。　Well；　so　was　he。
　〃Move　now；　Captain？〃　Buikov　asked。
　〃No；　let's　sit　still　and　watch。　They　ought　to　stop　at　that　little　ridge　with　the　logging　road。　I　want　to　see　how　predictable　they　are；　Boris　Yevgeniyevi